A panel discussion led by Shane Killoran of Hit House Film will follow the screening. HERE. IS. BETTER. is a powerful and hopeful documentary exploring the mental health crisis facing millions of Americans living with PTSD. Veterans are up to three times more likely to experience PTSD, and the film follows four of them—each with different backgrounds and service experiences—as they undergo evidence-based trauma therapies. Featured individuals include former presidential candidate Jason Kander, a Vietnam Veteran still grappling with decades-old memories, and women Veterans whose stories are too often overlooked. With unprecedented access to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the film weaves together their journeys toward healing, offering insight and hope to millions.
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VIVA VERDI! offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of celebrated opera singers and musicians living out their “third act” at Milan’s Casa Verdi—the unique retirement home built by composer Giuseppe Verdi in 1896. Among these remarkable residents, ages 77 to 107, are international singers, dancers, conductors, and composers whose stories are filled with music, magic, and passion. As they mentor young music students who live among them, VIVA VERDI! reveals why Verdi called this home his “best work” and how its spirit of creativity and care remains as visionary today as it was over a century ago. A Q&A with the filmmakers follows the film.
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Checkpoint Zoo documents a daring rescue led by a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a zoo behind enemy lines during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A Q&A with the director Josh Zeman follows the film. Presented in English, Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles.
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To Catch a Predator was a popular television show designed to hunt down child predators and lure them to a film set, where they would be interviewed and eventually arrested. PREDATORS is a thought-provoking exploration of the scintillating rise and staggering fall of the show, and the world it helped create.
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Chris Waddell, a decorated Paralympic sit-skier, wheelchair track athlete, and NBC Sports host, was a promising collegiate skier before a life-altering accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Refusing to be defined by limitation, he went on to make history on September 30, 2009, becoming the first paraplegic to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro—nearly entirely unassisted. This inspiring documentary captures not just the physical feat of summiting the 19,340-foot peak, but the heart, determination, and perspective that fuel Waddell’s mission to “see the world positively” through his One Revolution Foundation. A powerful story of perseverance and possibility. A Q&A follows the film. Presented in partnership with Thrive.
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Join us for a special film/epicurean event. First, Sommelier Sean Sperazza will present a flight of 3-5 wines for tasting inspired by classic Somm testing. Then, a screening of the documentary Somm, winner of the best documentary feature at the 2013 San Luis Obispo Film Festival. SPACE IS LIMITED. Four sommeliers attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world.
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A special screening of this film will be held on Friday, August 29th at 7pm followed by a Q&A with director Lisa D’Apolito. Shari Lewis was a children’s television pioneer before Fred Rogers, Jim Henson, and others. She was a dancer, singer, and magician, but was best known as the ventriloquist behind sock puppets Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy and, of course, Lamb Chop. This heartfelt and entertaining doc charts the life, loves, and career hits and misses of the spunky perfectionist who forever changed the face of children’s television. Featuring ventriloquists she inspired and nostalgia-laden clips, this upbeat portrait brims, like Lewis, with warmth and charm. Shari and Lamb Chop is the tonic we all need to reconnect with our inner children, and celebrate pure imagination.
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From its humble beginnings as a London fringe play to its rise, fall, and triumphant return as the biggest cult film of all time, this documentary tells the definitive story of The Rocky Horror Show, released in theaters 50 years ago. With insights from creator Richard O’Brien and stars like Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Lou Adler, it explores the groundbreaking themes, iconic performances, and unforgettable songs that shaped a cultural phenomenon—along with the midnight screenings and safe haven it created for those who felt different or marginalized.
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Becoming Katharine Graham tells the story of a painfully shy woman’s accidental rise to power and how it changed history. After a family tragedy, Kay evolved from a “doormat wife” into a legendary newspaper publisher. Nixon’s nemesis during Watergate, she fought for truth, broke barriers in a sexist world, and won a Pulitzer Prize, inspiring generations with her courage and resilience. A Q&A with the filmmakers follows the screening.
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Paint Me a Road Out of Here follows the 50-year journey of a powerful painting created for women incarcerated at Rikers Island and the two artists—Faith Ringgold and Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter—who used their art to challenge oppression and fight for freedom. The film reveals a hidden history of resistance and resilience, followed by a panel discussion. Presented in partnership with Hour Children.
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